Microsoft gets official with Windows Azure cloud OS, platform
By Donald Melanson 
posted Oct 27th 2008 4:03PM
posted Oct 27th 2008 4:03PM
Steve Ballmer himself first dropped word of this one earlier this month, but Microsoft has now finally gotten official about its new cloud computing operating system, and its name: Windows Azure. What's more, the OS is apparently just one component of Microsoft's larger Azure cloud computing platform, which will eventually be fully rolled out alongside Windows 7, and will encompass Microsoft's existing Live services, SQL services, and .NET services, among other things. If that's got you excited, you can find plenty more details at the link below, and even a few SDKs ready for downloading.[Via Pocket-lint]
Everytime I hear about this Cloud OS now I'm going to be thinking about the torrent client Azureus, instead of just Azure.
I Was thinking the same thing. Its like he MS.. Azure us... wont ya?
:)
maybe microsoft will coin the next computing platform "Windows μTorre"
Are you kidding me? I through a great Homer Simpson line out there and nobody gets it? Surely I'm not the only Simpsons fan on a nerdy gadget site!
Marge Simpson: What exactly is it your company does again?
Homer Simpson: This industry moves so fast it's really hard to tell. That's why I need a name that's cutting-edge, like CutCo, EdgeCom, Interslice. Come on, Marge, you're good at these! Help me out!
Marge Simpson: How about... Compuglobalhypermeganet?
Homer Simpson: Fine, it's not important. What really matters is my title. I think I'll make myself... vice president. No, wait! Junior vice president!
If nobody else got that, then god help us all.
I know that what I will say is not related to what Eric posted but I need Engadget to read this.
Dear Engadget,
I and many others would love to see you grow bigger and stronger everyday, we enjoy reading your articles as well as comment and discuss whatever comes in them. I really believe in you guys as a real authentic honest gadget blog where news are your thing. And with all of this I can't but salute you guys for all the hard work you do and present.
People may see me and many others as MS fans, and coming to think about it, the amount we talk about MS in the comments sections is really annoying for people who hate this fine company. As a matter of fact, we bring up Microsoft's name so much only and only because you guys do not cover that company fairly enough. We are not asking you to screw over any other company, but honestly you guys, and I'm being completely realistic in my thoughts, you guys have a clear hate for MS, it isn't a disastrous hate, but it is the type that makes you want to make fun or just ignore anything MS does or announces. It has become like some type of a sickness in you guys, which of course can be healed with rational thinking and readers' consideration.
I'm not asking you to cover MS's news every single hour like what you do for Apple, but instead just be fair in talking about this company, because they simply are helping many of us, your loyal readers, continue our lives through using its great products and services, in other words, MS for me and many many other is something that we would like to read about just as much as Apple users like to read about Apple's news. Don't makeup news, but cover what they do much better than what you are doing now; we really care.
Engadget, I will work for you guys if you really hate the shit out of MS, for free, as a volunteer, I will write articles for you guys and you double proof it then post it under whoever's name, I don't mind that at all, and if you are able to do such easy job by your talented staff then show us some real MS covering.
I honestly have no hate to any other company or to this blog or its readers, even if so many do hate me, but try to give it a thought guys, sit together and think it out and for once, since a long time, be fair with MS news.
I love you guys.
Yours,
Your loyal MS using readers.
@Saad Rabia
NO U
@Saad Rabia
Another long populist post to try get highest ranked?
Neither Apple fanboys nor MS fanboys dominate the comment section. Sometimes, there's a strong case for Apple, and people who make it get voted down. Sometimes, there's a strong case for Microsoft, and those people too get voted down. There is no order to it. It's not like all pro-Apple post are highest ranked; indeed, many of them are lowest ranked.
Apple is much more secretive than Microsoft, and tend to file quite a lot of exotic patents. Nobody knows what to expect from them. There's a massive rumour community that has grown from this, and the conflicting reports make the situation even less predictable. That makes the news more attractive to report. That's why Apple tend to get more posts. Microsoft is more predictable - it's boring news. Simple. No conspiracy theories.
Apple is also growing. Recent figures suggest that they have more cash than Microsoft, and revenue and profits do hold their own against the much more massive Microsoft. Ten, or even five years ago, that would have been an outlandish statement. That shows that Apple are being much more dynamic. They're moving fast, doing well for it, and they seem to be changing industries as they go (iPhone showed the fragile dominance of WinMo and RIM, led Google to create Android, WebKit is being used on nearly all mobile OSes for better browsing). Microsoft have been comparatively slow. They're not pushing the boat out as much, and aren't generating as much excitement as a result. Send in some worthy news and I'm sure Engadget will post it.
I just saw how long my post was and realised it may be considered hypocritical. That said, I don't give a toss about my rank. It's not like it means anything.
At least it wasn't in the form of an open letter. That's just begging for a +1.
KarlW, listen mate, I'm not looking for high ranks, these ranks represent nothing but a momentarily agreement from others to some opinion or vise versa. I'm in no way seeking the acceptance of people who think that Apple is god or is evil, I really don't care much about Apple, you know what I mean? All I want is more news and less kid-like bashing of Microsoft, it's just that I expect from a website like Engadget to include a good summarization of all news of a particular day, and I simply don't see Microsoft represented the right way it should be; forget about Microsoft doing more or less money than Apple, I and many others want to read what's new about Microsoft without all the bashing, the hating and the "I use Apple, I like to make fun of Microsoft" tone of writing in each and every article I read. For me, for example, all Apple news are boring, simply because I read the same fact-praising and rumor-spreading words many times a day, all inside this one site.
Think about this: Right now, and at this exact moment, and after it has been announced, What is so "rumory" about the MacBook Pro or iPod? Do we really need that link up there for a whole week and just 3 weeks ago we only had a small unreadabley bashing review about the Zune 120? Is that fair? Is that real journalism and loyalty to spreading fair information? Why can't I read a normal unbiased review about a Windows laptop for at least a whole day? there are 365 days a year, and all I see is over 100 days of Apple reviews then another 265 days of Apple rumors!
Don't get me wrong, as I said before, it's not hate that I have towards Apple, but the truth is just that I don't care much about them, just like Apple fans don't care much about seeing a link to a review about some Windows laptop for the next 7 days! Also remember, I'm using that link on top of Engadget's website as an example, meaning that there many other ways it really bothers me how this whole thing has become.
As a starter I would love to see Engadget, at least, stop the "kidy" tone they always use when it comes to Microsoft news. Even if there are no news about MS, why the need of acting cool and funny only when it comes to MS when the article is about a serious issue from Microsoft? Then act all professional and godly when the news are about a power adapter from Apple?!
Honestly, Strata>>>>Azure. I don't know why they changed it.
@Saad Rabia
I empathize. I've long ago gotten weary of Engadget's Homer Simpson "yuk yuk" tone. However, it's probably par for the course, considering the geek nature of its audience demographics (I'm one as well). The sophomoric slant isn't as bad as some others, say, Gizmodo, and will probably need to be adjusted for a more profession one, if and when Engad tries for a broader demographic. Until then, I ignore the k00lz kiddie talk and just concentrate on the gadgets.
Saad, the Zune does really suck. It is bigger, heavier, uglier and generally useless as a portable device. Other than that I really agree. The writing here is so pro Apple it is sickening. The MS hate is ridiculous.
I tend to hate MS also, but I have my reasons. The Windows OS has some issues that need to be fixed badly and the fact that it is the dominant OS in the world means that they are not lacking for resources. Just today I noticed that the wireless lan icon on my vista laptop took 15 seconds to respond on a fairly recent clean install and not very long after bootup. The updates icons showed up and it would not give any information about what was being installed, it only told what state of download it was in. That is just stupid. The amount of time for this OS to resume from sleep or hibernate has gone 200 steps back from Windows XP. The system takes an extra 15 seconds to correctly restore my LCD brightness or give ME THE USER any control over my LCD brightness. Anyway it is what I use for better or worse.
What surprises me though is that a product like Windows Home Server which single handedly brought back respect for MS in me had no real review here or hoopla. I honestly believe that WHS is the biggest thing to hit computing in recent times. I also believe that if marketed correctly it could/should/would be in the homes of everyone with an internet connection in 5 years. It should be something every family or household should have like a TV IMHO. The interface is so intuitive and easy that I could tell my parents to get one and trust them to set it up and use it. If they can connect and use a Roku they can surely set this thing up, that's the quality of the product they have made at MS this time. Secure storage for everyone in the house, media sharing for everyone in every room, automatic PC backups, intelligent automatic duplication and backup of data, cheap and easy expandability and no maintenance just make this product a winner.
Who comes up with all of these boring names?
Would 'Windows Total Ultimate Pwnage Thats Even Better Than Unwrapping An Expensive Christmas Present Containing Your Most Wanted Gadget Whilst Eating A Freshly Made Krispy Kreme Thats Nice And Hot' be a more exciting name?
What? It might catch on. Windows WTUPTEBTUAECPCYMWGWEAFMKKTNAH has a catchy ring to it IMO.
The same person who called you John?
(it's not my real name)
az⋅ure
Pronunciation [azh-er]
–adjective
1. of or having a light, purplish shade of blue, like that of a clear and unclouded sky.
2. Heraldry. of the tincture or color blue.
–noun
3. the blue of a clear or unclouded sky.
4. a light, purplish blue.
5. Heraldry. the tincture or color blue.
6. the clear, cloudless sky.
Just say the names to yourself: Vista....Azure....
Now imagine yourself near a babbling brook surrounded by green grass. You hear the faint sound of a flute in the distance.
The computer is your friend. Don't be scared.
This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.
If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.
@16-bit
My point exactly. "Azure" is about as edgy as a Kenny G musical interpretation of a Bob Ross painting.
Don't you want to have a Windows OS with "Happy Trees?"
It should have a cool name like 'CutCo' or 'Interslice'
"the clear, cloudless sky."
How can you claim to have a Cloud "OS" with no clouds...
CutCo?
That's fuckin dumb...
Seriously... you CHOSE the name "John"...?! Next time save the trouble and call yourself LAME.
It should have a cool name like 'CutCo' or 'Interslice'
Seriously guys? You actually think CutCo or Interslice sounds cool? Come on...
Are you kidding me? I through a great Homer Simpson line out there and nobody gets it? Surely I'm not the only Simpsons fan on a nerdy gadget site!
Marge Simpson: What exactly is it your company does again?
Homer Simpson: This industry moves so fast it's really hard to tell. That's why I need a name that's cutting-edge, like CutCo, EdgeCom, Interslice. Come on, Marge, you're good at these! Help me out!
Marge Simpson: How about... Compuglobalhypermeganet?
Homer Simpson: Fine, it's not important. What really matters is my title. I think I'll make myself... vice president. No, wait! Junior vice president!
Seriously... you CHOSE the name "John"...?! Next time save the trouble and call yourself LAME.
--------
This comes from a person who named him/herself "Da Tank"
Nah, I grew up in Pakistan. Never watched the Simpsons.
@ John
'Da Tank' is a fucking awesome name.
I have a pen. Now where's my birth certificate...
Oh come on. You set yourself up for a Yo Momma joke there.
@Esat:
$ echo 'Windows Total Ultimate Pwnage Thats Even Better Than Unwrapping An Expensive Christmas Present Containing Your Most Wanted Gadget Whilst Eating A Freshly Made Krispy Kreme Thats Nice And Hot' | perl -lane 'print shift @F, " ", map {substr $_,0,1} @F'
Windows TUPTEBTUAECPCYMWGWEAFMKKTNAH
Thanks lol
-jp
they obviously can't come up with anything on their own... i wonder if Bentley will sue them for using the Azure name.
Yes, because Continental is such an original name too.
yes, because people will confuse a car with a cloud operating system, both named after "blue", which I believe is about as copyright-able as Magenta.
@ coffee
T-mobile....
imac:
I know, that was kinda the point.
yeah, and home depot will sue for microsoft calling their software "windows"
@ coffee:
Well, Cadbury (the confectionary company) holds "the color purple" as a registered trademark
What exactly is a Cloud OS? Is it meant for netbooks?
Here you go my furry little friend:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_Computing
Basically, it puts your desktop on the web so you can access it from almost any computer that is connected to the internet.
Thank You guys!
Remote desktop!
Remote desktop isn't the same thing. Remote desktop allows you to access your actual desktop on your own physical computer from a remote location through the internet. This requires that you have remote desktop ability on both your computer as well as the computer that you are using to access your computer. It also requires your own computer to be on. Cloud puts your desktop on the internet where you can access it from almost anywhere through the internet, usually regardless of platform. The benefit is much higher level of accessibility.
Anyone hear of 'Curse of the Azure Bonds?' from the days of D&D? It'll have a whole new meaning after developers get a hold of the API for this thing.
God I must be too tired.I seriously thought you had written 'Curse of the Azure Blondes.'
Thank you! I'm glad I'm not the only Forgotten Realms geek out there that heard the name and saw twisting computer sigils! LOL
Please explain if I'm wrong, but doesn't this just combine already existing technology/protocols? Whats so special about it?
Well now instead of buying or pirating windows you're going to be paying a yearly "subscription fee" to keep your computer from locking up and turning into a giant turd.
Personally, I would be ok with paying 50-85 bucks a year. Any more than that and I'll just keep XP/Vista thanks. Hopefully by the time MS births this abortion linux will be a lot more mature for home use.
I can connect to my computer remotely, I frequently access SQL servers, and I already use programs developed on the .NET frame work on my computer running XP. What is the benefit of this?
I also believe there are many linux distros that are currently ready for home use. Proof: My dad is capable of using Ubuntu.
By linux ready for home users I mean games will run on it. That's the primary use of my PC when I get home. I don't tinker anymore so if I can't pop in the dvd, install, and be up and running by the end of the day it's not ready for me yet. Ubuntu is close though, you're right.
So, Engadget. No constant reminders that PDC was only X days away? No pre-keynote article? No liveblogging? No mention that the Microsoft website was updated? None of -anything- you do at whatever mundane Apple event is going on?
What a surprise...
It IS just a developers conference, and will be dry and boring for non-developers. It's not like they would liveblog software announcements at WWDC.....
oh crap. nevermind.
Hey, I'm sure Engadget would have liveblogged it....
...if they were important enough to get invited....
Josh Topolsky doesn't care about Microsoft.
Lots of people asking the same thing. I found a decent live blog at ZDnet. Too much background chatter in that blog, but at least they're covering the event.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1669
If Apple was going to release a cloud OS, it would definitely be breaking news - but clearly it's not. Yeaah I'm bitching :D
@ coffee +1. Hah!
They *better* be covering tomorrow's keynote speech at PDC, considering MS is going to be extensively showing off Windows 7. It was *hinted* that we'll be very, very surprised at what kind of laptop they'll be running tomorrow's Win 7 presentation with - rumoring a netbook.
If Engadget doesn't cover it, feel free to drop by my blog (geekpi.com), as I am covering and using every single new Win 7 feature, in-depth, with separate screenshots of the new OS. So far, very little has been leaked about all the new features & interface.
Azure definition: "the clear, cloudless sky."
Yeah. Great name for a cloud computing OS. What's next? Windows Crashalot 2009?
Oh I get it, Windows Azure is somekind of weather control device, hence the name, so Crashalot would be a computer that crashes alot.
Laugh out loud.
I have to tell this to my friends, they still think Azure means 'blue'.
"encompass Microsoft's existing Live services, SQL services, and .NET services, among other things"
Sounds like Windows with added crap.
If they aren't including it with Windows 7, I'd wager $1 that this tech won't get off the ground. It dreams of being in the clouds, but we're going to get fog instead.
Exactly , how do you get consumers (average consumers) that are not greeks, nerds and the such to use this.
Once you hit them with the subscription fee there gone plus you already know tech support will be a b***h.
The average person calls in because there internet is down and can't get to there files yeah this will work out good NOT.
Since mesh is somehow invovled in this they better atleast having azure synce the files to the desktop and with the cloud and not directly from app to cloud without being on your computer otherwise this will totally fail with the average consumer right after the first internet downtime and there are wondering how do they get to there files and why did they get this.
The only way this will take off with average consumers will be
a if its free for sometime
b comes with Windows 7
c really really cheap
Sorry, it's not available in Greek yet.
dcny: I can assure you that this is not going to be aimed at the "average consumer." Cloud computing is better marketed towards businesses and large organizations and makes more sense in that type of environment.
Hang on a sec, I saw this on BBC *before* on Engadget? But the BBC has no clue even what USB means!
but more importantly...you were watching the BBC instead of reading engadget?! shame on you!
:D
Could be good.
Damn it WM7+W7+Azure could be a strong combo.
I was looking forward to Google's cloud (Google+Chrome+Android).... the obvious weak link starts with a C.
Hrm, Windows Strata sounds so much cooler.
Azure? This is STRATA!
Unfortunately there were too many copyright problems with "Strata"
The Site is not yet updated.
microsoft.com/azure
The Login is Coming Soon and the SDK Download links are broken.....
No not updated at all
http://www.microsoft.com/azure/sdk.mspx
/sarcasm
The unfortunate thing about cloud computing is that it reminds us that it's all vaporware.
I thought it was going to be stratos :(
oh right strata
that still sounded better
Better than Red Dog ;)
Why does Sun suck... They were way ahead of the curve with the whole "The network is the computer" deal, now Microsoft is entering into this space with a new OS where Sun has had this for years!!! If they only came out with something affordable...womp womp....
I told you it was the one armed man.
The name "Azure" implies an unbroken, blue, cloudless sky, but it's part of their cloud computing strategy. Leave it to M$ marketing to create yet another inane, self-contradictory product name!
Can you give an example of "yet another inane, self-contradictory product name!"?
Just curious - I can't think of any.
Yeah Windows 7.
Why is this not 'breaking news'?
Because its about Microsoft and your on engadget.
OMG THIS ARTICLE IS SO BASHING M$!!! Y RU SO IN APPLE'S POCKETS?
I love how the MS fanboys found something to whine about with this concise, well written post.
(/Facepalm)
They're complaining about the scope of the coverage, and that's fair enough. Stop jumping the gun already.
I'd be interested in the pricing for this thing. It'd be great to see some 70-30 way of sharing profits with developers. I get the feeling this won't hurt the pockets.
I think the name choice was excellent. Had it been Windows Cloud, people would be complaining that the OS is just a dreary day with clouds making the experience dull and lackluster. At least Azure implies a CLEAR and UNBOUNDED presence. Props Microsoft.
And shame on you people who are claiming that a Cloud OS needs clouds. Use a little common sense please?
Uh, what common sense are you using? Cloud computing without a cloud doesn't work in my book.
Isn't this just Amazon Web Services, but from Microsoft (and thus bound to its technologies)?
Competition is good, except when web services get bound to a proprietary API and will only work with one vendor's OS. That's when it becomes anticompetitive.
Microsoft is overprotective of their businesses. That's why they'll never be able to compete with Google. Google doesn't offer a comparative service yet, but it's surely coming. Then again, I'm still bitter about NetScape.
Its a similar concept but *FAR* more reaching than Amazon's web services.
You made a comment about Azure being tied to Microsoft? Amazon's web services are TIED to Amazon. Google's services are TIED to Google. I don't see the issue???
@Glen - I really can't decode all the marketing-speak on microsoft.com so perhaps you can could shed some light here as I'm genuinely curious.
First of all, I think you misunderstand when I say "bound to Microsoft technlogies" - you say "Amazon's web services are tied to Amazon" and of course, those services are provided by Amazon, just as Azure service are provided by Microsoft. But Amazon does not produce an operating system, web server software, database software, etc. So, for example, when you use EC2, you deploy a Linux (maybe BSD is an option) system image and you have really have your choice in the software stack you use.
Can I use Linux on Azure? Apache? nginx? lighttpd? PostgreSQL, MySQL? They mention PHP/Python/Ruby, so at the least, they are not restricting it to their own languages, but I really want to know - does Microsoft work the same way as AWS and is providing virtual machines from within which you have complete freedom (even if it's Windows)? That's not the impression I got from a cursory look at their information, but I'm open to educating.
Wow... Apple fans bitch the name of the product... just like superficial women bitch other girls clothes.
Until now, I'd never met a Boards of Canada fan without a girlfriend.
married with 2 kids, sorry! (yeah I know, what im doing on engadget loosing my time again...)
No but really, come on guys? bitch the OS if its a bad ideas or poorly made... dont bitch on the name and colors of the website. I have a powerpc 8500, a G3, a G4 and an Ibook... I was a mac fan myself until I switched to more powerful solution for CG graphics. Azure is not a bad name really, its better than vista actually... A name can be anything.
Im just a bit disappointed cause I was thinking it would be some sort of grid computer... Im always searching way to accelerate work in graphic softwares.
Why would you name a cloud system after the blue of a sky without any clouds? Will the cloud fail to exist? Will it be similar to MobileMe when it was first introduced (i.e., nonexistent)? What a moronic name!
This is WAAAAAaaaayyy beyond what the simplistic MobileMe can do!!! If you think this is similar, you really need to your head read!!
COOL!
The name seems a bit random. Vista made some sort of sense, as did ME, Live, Hotmail etc.
But naming an OS after the colour of its homepage seems a little arbitrary.